CIRQUE DU SOLEIL ALBUMS SET FOR RELEASE IN EUROPE THROUGH UNIVERSAL MUSIC INTERNATIONAL

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL ALBUMS SET FOR RELEASE IN EUROPE THROUGH UNIVERSAL MUSIC INTERNATIONAL

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL ALBUMS SET FOR RELEASE IN EUROPE THROUGH UNIVERSAL MUSIC INTERNATIONAL

First Four Releases Scheduled for April

LONDON, March 23, 2004 –– Universal Music International has reached agreement with Cirque du Soleil for the European release of a series of albums of music featured in the innovative company’s stage productions.

The first four Cirque du Soleil Musique albums through Universal Music International will be issued on April 11. These will comprise:

* Le Best Of, a compilation of songs which celebrate the company’s twentieth anniversary in 2004;

* Tapis Rouge™ – Solarium, featuring chill-flavoured remixes of Cirque du Soleil tracks by some of the world’s best DJs and remixers;

* Music from Dralion™ and Saltimbanco™, two Cirque du Soleil productions which are currently on tour in Europe.

In addition, music from ZUMANITY™, Another Side of Cirque du Soleil, will be a forthcoming album release through Universal Music International. The cabaret show, which evokes and celebrates eroticism in all its uninhibited glory, is one of four Cirque du Soleil extravaganzas currently resident at MGM Mirage properties in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Wulf Muller, Vice President, International Marketing, Classics & Jazz, at Universal Music International, said, “Cirque du Soleil is, of course, one of the most innovative and dynamic companies in the world. Music is an essential part of their exciting and hugely popular productions, and we expect this to translate into a successful series of album releases. We’re very pleased to be in business with Cirque du Soleil.”

Carol Ryan, General Manager of Cirque du Soleil Musique, said, “Cirque du Soleil Musique has found the perfect European partner in Universal Music International – Classics & Jazz. Their leadership and expertise in the categories of soundtracks and musicals, as well as the strength of their executive and marketing teams, explains why we wanted them as our partners. We would like our music to achieve the same level of recognition as our shows in Europe, and we expect that UMI will help us attain that goal.”

More than 50 million people have seen a Cirque du Soleil production during the past 20 years and almost seven million saw one of the company’s productions in 2004. Since 1984, Cirque du Soleil’s touring events have made nearly 250 stops in close to 100 cities worldwide. Cirque du Soleil currently stages ten different shows, six of which are touring.

About Cirque du Soleil

From a group of twenty street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil has grown to become a major Quebec-based organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment, with nearly 3,000 employees from over 40 different countries, including 700 artists.

Since its inception in 1984, Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to more than 50 million spectators over 100 cities on four continents. In 2005, Cirque du Soleil will present 11 shows simultaneously throughout the world. Cirque du Soleil has received such prestigious awards as the Emmy, Drama Desk, Bambi, ACE, Gémeaux, Félix, and Rose d’Or de Montreux. Cirque du Soleil’s International Headquarters are in Montreal, Canada.

Cirque du Soleil Musique is dedicated to the creation, production and marketing of music associated with current and future Cirque du Soleil productions, and to the creation of a new musical repertoire through the support and development of emerging artists.

Since its beginning in 2004, Cirque du Soleil Musique has launched three new albums : Le Best of, Tapis Rouge – Solarium and ZUMANITY.

About Universal Music International

Universal Music International is a division of Universal Music Group, the world’s largest music company with wholly owned record operations or licensees in 77 countries. Its businesses also include Universal Music Publishing Group, one of the industry’s largest global music publishing operations.

Universal Music Group consists of record labels Decca Record Company, Deutsche Grammophon, DreamWorks Nashville, Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Geffen Records, Island Def Jam Music Group, Lost Highway Records, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Philips, Polydor Records, Universal Music Latino, Universal Motown Records Group, and Verve Music Group as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalogue of music in the industry, which is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S.) and Universal Strategic Marketing (outside the U.S.). Universal Music Group also includes eLabs, a new media and technologies division.

Universal Music Group is a unit of Vivendi Universal, a global media and communications company.